Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-30
RETRLBUTION.
by CLARA MEHWtN.

Standing on the bolcony, in the soft
Ennset radiance which flooded the world
Exth q hint OF that light
which never was on land or sea-
Mrs st. Johns saw three persons on
Cue beach, and she sat down to watch
them, and think what it was best TO do.
Mrs. st. Johns had got used to think
ing about what was best to do long
ago. Mr. St Johns. like the disagree
ahie man he had always been to her,
capped the climax of all his disagree
able doings by dying at the PARTICULAR
tlnae when the st. Johns fortunes were
III q very precarious condition. They
remained in that condition ever since.
But Mrs. st. Johns was thankful for
one thing, and that was, that she had
nut one child to care for. 1t was all
she could possibly do now to exist and
Keep up appearance. Hthcre had been
ether children, she must have been
obliged to give up all attempts at living
comfortably, and dropped out of the
fashionable circles in which she had
managed, by dint of continuing and
close calculating, and pinching here for
the sake Of atfording something snowy
there, to keep in her position. But OF
aate it had been very hard work to
Keep up appearances and make her
very slender income "do." How she
hated the sound of that word; she had
but one ambition. and that was to
xnsrry her daughter to some one who
could place her in position where she
would never be obliged 60 make any.
thing do" again as long as she lived.
Homer Graves was walking with Miss
Marvin, while her daughter Lucia fol
lowed them. She saw that, and he,
face darkened. If there was anybody
IN the world she hated, it was Alma
Marvin. She had taken great dislike
to her from the very first. She re-
znembered how wonderfully fair and
handsome she looked that morning
when Mrs. CRADLES carriage brough,
them up from the station to spend 6
month at the Sea View Place, the
beautiful home Of the Crable's
Miss Marvin was standing on this
very balcony where she was sitting
now, with the wind blowing her brown
hair all about her face which was full
of soft color, and her eyes were full o.
subtle fascination.
Such beautiful eyes" she heari
Homer Graves say, only yesterday. A
that first glimpse Mrs. ST Johns hatet
Alma Marvin, possibly because she saw
u dangerous rival to her yellow-hairec
daughter, whose face and eyes never
had Leld, and never would hold, til,
brightness and soul in them that Ii
np Alma Marvin's features. Possibl,
because some subtle instinct told hel
Shat this lovely girl was to come be
tween her and her most cherished
plans.
, Mrs. st. Johns had accepted Mrs
CRADLES invitation to Sea View Place
for two reasons. She had met young
Graves and had resolved to catch hin
aor son-in-law if possible. He wal
very rich and OF good family. He
daughter could not do better, matri
monially. She knew that he would be
at Sea View Place, and when Mrs
Cradle invited them, it seemed to he
AS if Providence were helping her plan
along. That was her chief reason TO
accepting the invitation. Another wa
shat it was an easy thing to live
month on the bounty of another, whil
the st. Johns funds were so low q
that particular time that it was out o
Che question for them to think of goins
out OF town for a week, even, at thei
own expense.
She discovered before she had beef
ut Sea View Place two hours tina
Moner Graves was deeply in love will
Alma Narvin's beautiful face. WLel
she found this out she felt that sh,
cos,!d kill the lovely woman who stoot
between her and the consummation O
Fer plans. Homer had paid some quit,
mar 1ed attention to Lucia. She fel
8urc that if this new face could be KEEP
,sgut Of sight she could succee